Happy Hour

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion goes up to the Bar to retrieve their T-Minus device, and is met with a note requesting that they serve the drinks for a while. They beep the objection that they don't know how to make any drinks, and receive an additional note. Bar also provides them with the whiteboard they've been using to conduct conversations with humans. With a dubious bwoo, they move behind the Bar and retrieve the well-worn book of cocktail recipes from under the counter. When they've read through some of it, they put a few of their picks up on the board.

Specials:
Gear Oil
Rusted-Out Muffler
Monkey Wrench
Screwdriver

50% off if you teach me a new drink recipe

With that squared away, they wait to see who approaches them.

Comments

[childofrebellion]

Cassian looks up from his work when E54 starts working behind the Bar and smiles at the drink names, "What's in a gear oil? And I can teach you a recipe. Do you want to know an alcoholic drink or something else?"

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion writes their reply on the whiteboard: 'Hello Cassian. The recipe calls for Irish cream, Jägermeister, and ice cubes.'

They've located the ingredients for their specials in advance.

'Any drink you'd like to teach me is fine, whether it contains alcohol or not. I'd like to be better prepared for the next occasion if this is something that happens regularly at Milliways.'

[childofrebellion]

"I don't know what the first two ingredients are, but I'll give it a try. It's always good to have a non-alcoholic option. I can give you the recipe for a delicious hot chocolate,"

Not all the spices in his recipe but a good approximation of it.

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion gives Cassian a thumbs-up and retrieves the ingredients, preparing the drink in a cocktail shaker as the recipe directed and serving it to him in a short, rounded glass.

'They're two different liqueurs from Earth, one stronger than the other and originating from different countries. Tell me about your hot chocolate.'

[childofrebellion]

"When I can get the ingredients, it's made with a good quality chocolate, milk, a rich one if possible and these spices,"

He lists them out explaining what can be used as a replacements as he doesn't often get everything he needs. Once he's told how to make the recipe, he takes a sip of the cocktail and a slight face, "That's strong and creamy."

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion listens intently, and files Cassian's recipe for spiced hot chocolate in their memory. They observe his reaction to the drink; they're incapable of consuming any of these drinks themself, so it's useful to receive feedback from someone who can.

'It doesn't look very much like real gear oil. I'm not sure why it was named that in particular.'

[childofrebellion]

"The Jagermeister has a strong flavor and is almost oily. That's probably where the name came from. It's also pungent and once you get gear oil on anything, it stays."

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion nods, and erases the whiteboard to make room for more responses.

'That accounts for it. How would you describe hot chocolate? I already know that it's warm and sweet, but more specifically than that.'

[childofrebellion]

"When it's made well, there's a creaminess and heaviness to it. It feels like it coats your throat with chocolate."

[runningred]

Jay comes down to the bar, freshly washed and hair still damp. "Hey Bastion. Where's Ganymede tonight?"

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion points up into the rafters, tilting their head up to look in the same direction. Ganymede is perched on a nearby beam, keeping a watchful eye on his omnic friend's attempts at bartending.

[runningred]

"Hey Ganymede." Jay smiles, giving the bird a little wave before focusing back on Bastion. "So, what do you recommend?"

[configuration_birdwatcher]

"Dweet bzzrrp dwoo," Bastion informs Jay, looking at his ear to see if he's wearing the earpiece from last time. // I can't speak for the way any of them taste, but everything except the Gear Oil has a fruit-based component, and the Monkey Wrench and Screwdriver are less alcoholic than the other two.

Since they last met, Bastion's been repainted, necessitating the removal of the flowers and moss that were previously stuck to their chassis. Now their armor's beige and green, with a few orange accents, and the metal underneath is much shinier.

Ganymede chirps cheerfully from his lookout spot. He can see all kinds of stuff from up here.

[runningred]

Jay tilts his head to show the little sub-dermal implant which flashes green. "Got you loud and clear, Bas." He smiles warmly.

"A Gear Oil sounds great. How have you been? You're looking good. New paint?"

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Oh, it's permanently attached! That must be useful. Bastion retrieves the Irish cream, the Jägermeister, and the ice cubes from behind the Bar and pours them into a cocktail shaker.

// Physically, I'm in excellent condition. Torbjörn gave me a tune-up and a new coat of paint at home. However, I was recently kidnapped out of the forest here by a group of diminutive, magic-wielding reptile people who wanted to add me to their pile of stolen shiny things. It was awful. Their beeps and whirrs start off neutral in tone as they relate this, but turn pained and weary.

Bastion pours the Gear Oil into a short, rounded glass and hands it to Jay. // I successfully escaped from them, at least. And I got Ganymede out too.

[runningred]

"Here? Shit! That's not good. Any leads on who was behind it? I've been back home. Sounds like I missed out."

He tries the drink and nods. "That's great, thanks."

[configuration_birdwatcher]

// As far as I know, they came in on their own. I'm not sure whether they were thrown out or apprehended for breaking Milliways' rules, or killed outright, but there was a violent confrontation going on between them and several other patrons in the forest when I escaped. That's why I was able to get out, actually, since they left me unguarded. Even after that I still had to get past the traps they'd placed all around their hideout. Bastion lets out a tired-sounding whistle that sounds a lot like an electronic sigh.

// I'm glad you like the drink. What types of things have you been doing? they ask, hoping for something lighter to talk about.

[messwiththebest]

Now isn't this interesting. A Bastion unit, behind the bar and serving drinks. How . . . novel.

Sombra, brightly dressed in virulent greens, including her lipstick and the color of her contacts, drops onto a bar stool just catty-corner to the omnic and smiles, smiles, smiles.

"Well, well. And who put you behind this bar, I wonder?"

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion tilts their head at the thoroughly color-coordinated human. Sombra's cybernetics should have no difficulty picking up the radio-frequency portion of their response, the audio of which is a puzzled bwip-vwhee. // Bar asked me to do it. I've never prepared food or drinks before, but she gave me instructions.

They're not sure what to make of her reaction.

[messwiththebest]

Sombra leans extremely far forward on the bar, resting the weight of herself on her elbows. Her feet may be dangling.

"Did she? And do you like it?"

Does this Bastion unit understand what 'like' even is? Who programmed this one? And why?

[configuration_birdwatcher]

This interaction is only getting more bewildering. They've met people here who seemed to be well-disposed towards them because of novelty or a general fondness for robots, but this is the first time they've met someone who seems so amused by their presence.

// I have no objections to it, they venture. // It's something new to try, at least. Are you going to order any drinks?

[messwiththebest]

"Is there something you would recommend?"

She's wildly curious.

And still grinning like a cat who caught the canary.

[configuration_birdwatcher]

She seems to be fishing for an expression of personal preference or opinion from them, but she's picked a difficult subject for it.

// I'm physically incapable of consuming any of these. However, Bar's recipe book contains a large number of mixed drinks with elaborate names and several different kinds of liquor, and by that standard the Rusted-Out Muffler is the truest cocktail experience on the specials board.

[messwiththebest]

That is part of the point. How does an omnic not programmed for 'liking' . . . actually interact with the concept? Sombra is wild to know.

"I will have a Rusted-Out Muffler, then. The cocktail, of course, and not the actual machine part. I will let you know what I think of it afterward, eh?"

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Bastion makes an affirmative whistle and retrieves four different bottles from behind the bar, then takes a short glass and uses all four of them plus some ice cubes to fill it. The resulting drink is orangey-brown and has a peachy aroma.

// Here you go. They poke the glass across the countertop toward Sombra, using their index finger.